SEC Football: 10 best returning players for the 2020 season

2. Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU

As part of Joe Burrow‘s historic season at quarterback for LSU last year, wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase emerged as the most productive target in a loaded group of weapons. Leading the team in every category but total receptions, Chase put up some gaudy stats en route to the Tigers winning the National Championship as he ended the year with 84 receptions for 1,780 yards and 20 touchdowns.

No longer having Burrow throwing to him or Joe Brady helping to design the offense may cause Chase’s production to dip slightly in the 2020 season. However, his elite ability to high-point the ball and make plays at any level of the field should still lead to him being among the most productive wide receivers in SEC football and likely the entire country.

1. Derek Stingley Jr., CB, LSU

There’s an argument to be made that Derek Stingley Jr. is the best player not named Trevor Lawrence or Justin Fields coming back to college football for the 2020 season. Even crazier is that the standout LSU defensive back still won’t be eligible for the NFL Draft until after the conclusion of his 2021 campaign in Baton Rouge.

As a true freshman with the Tigers last season, Stingley already established himself as arguably the best cornerback in the country. He finished the season with six interceptions and 15 passes defended. And even those impressive numbers don’t do the full story justice of how dominant he was in locking up receivers on the boundary. With a year of experience under his belt, there’s no question he can elevate his status to a superstar level in 2020.

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